Rolex

As promised in my previous post introducing my three Kings without crown guards, I will tell you a bit more about my 1016 Explorer.

I had always loved the look of this most extraordinary watch, whose name brings inmediately, the image of snow covered mountains, old explorers and wild adventurers, which happened in long gone, more romantic, and less complicated times.

I feel that Rolex should never had abandoned those thick luminous arabic numbers of the past, in the present made rendition of this handsome timepice.

I own a copy of reference 114270, which I find a great modern watch. But nice as it is, I find it lacking the charm of the vintage counterpart.

I have been looking for a good vintage example of reference 1016, for a long time, and a few very nice pieces were handled, till last year, I finaly fell in love with this one.

It was made in 1965, got a beautifully made gloss dial, which looks like having  a black laquer surface.

Its gilt inscriptions bring a lovely contrast against that black lacquer, and the indexes show a thick cover of tritum material, which still glow very faintly        in the dark.

The riveted links Oyster bracelet, complete vintage flavour of  this watch, which retains all the spirit of this reference, and its timeless design.

I wish you´ll like this old watch, which is a real pleasure to feel on the wrist.

Cordial regards, Abel. 

This message has been edited by Subexplorer on 2012-01-27 15:42:18

a 6610 red depth but I can't stomach the price so it flew away to another happy owner. I always love the vintage Explorer the round fonts makes it more human than the  modern one(feel like robocop to me).

I can imagine an amazing dial!
I wish you´ll find a 1016 to fell in love with soon!
Kind regards, Abel.

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Love the simplicity of the watch, nice gloss dial and deep patina

Thanks for sharing

Best,

Sam

love the shot with the old chrome Leica M!  Matt

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Totally under rated, under loved, and it is not fair.

I guess it is due to its ( relative ) small size ( 36 mm ), and that people prefer the vintage Sub because of its additional 2 mm...

Not fair at all... Since when elegance is a matter of size???

Indeed, I find the case ideally proportionned, and the dial being, in my opinion, a timeless part of this watch.

When you add the patina, gorgeous on your watch, you have a keeper, a masterpiece.

Thanks for these splendid pictures.

Best,

Nicolas

... vintage Explorer.
I like its size, and in vintage, a nice patina of indexes and dial, just add to its charm!
Best cordial regards, Abel.

I really love the early Explorers, yours is really stunning !

Best cordial regards, Abel

... now I´m back and find so many great comments! Thank you friends! so nice to share this watch here! Best cordial regards, Abel.

Nice, nice, nice.

Best.

René

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